Monkeypox is continuing to spread in the UK, with current efforts insufficient to curb the outbreak, experts have warned as a whistleblower claimed there were serious flaws in the support given to those who think they have been exposed.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there have been 1,552 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK related to the outbreak as of 7 July.
While anyone can catch the virus as it is spread through close or intimate contact, the majority of cases so far have been among gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (MSM). Within England, the majority of cases have been in London.
There is little sign of infections fizzling out, with the latest estimates from UKHSA suggesting case numbers are doubling every 15 days.
“[There is] no evidence that current strategies are likely to bring this to an end anytime soon,” said Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, although he noted that while total case numbers were continuing to rise, the rate of new infections may have plateaued.
The concerns came as a whistleblower working on a UKHSA monkeypox inquiries line said it had numerous issues, including offering little support for people who are not confirmed contacts of cases – ie somebody whose name has been provided to contact tracers by a person with monkeypox.
The Guardian has seen scripts that show even if someone calls because they are worried they may have had a contact with a confirmed case, they...
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